Scene 1
by happychica
Summary: Not actually a scene, just the only way to send this to my friend.
1. First Scene

The door slammed shut behind the monarchs, the resounding _thunk_ echoing inside the large hall. Having plunged the inside rooms into silence, the door now seemed content to stay as it was, symbolizing, in its own way, the still-there divide among the Freehold.

"That went well." Daniel pushed himself off the bench he'd been sitting on. Now that the monarchs had left, the actual personality was pushing through, even to the point of making the Summer Court smile. "Don't you think? Let those punks know their place."

"The point wasn't to 'put them in their places,' it was to keep you from losing your head!"

Daniel stopped and looked at the woman across from him. "What?"

"Did ye forget that? Or were you just certain that Lord Notch would never _actually_ hurt anyone? Because, lad, he's not that stable." Big enough to be a brute, Hydra knew Daniel wasn't actually stupid. "Why would ye risk his wrath that way?"

"Because this is my home, and it's my family, and he doesn't know what he's talking about." The smile had faded know, a frown moving to take it's place. "You knew I wasn't going to just let him take what he wanted. You said you'd help!"

"Aye, I did, and I meant it. But ye nearly came to blows, and ye can't strike a monarch; least not without one on yer side." Hydra closed the few feet between them, placing a hand carefully on Daniel's lower arm. "Daniel, ye can't protect them if yer in jail. Whatever Lord Notch was looking for, whatever he wanted, I can't say for sure. But I know he came looking for a fight, any reason to get rid of you all."

"And I walked right into it."

"Yer reasons were far more honorable. But yes, ye walked into it."

Daniel sighed and sat back down, looking winded once more. "I'm not sorry," came the stubborn response a few minutes later.

"I didna think so."

Hydra looked over at the door to Rose's current room. If she listened hard, she could hear gentle rustling, as though Rose were moving about inside. But the screams and cries had stopped, as had the fevered behavior that made her rip the wall. It would be outright idiotic to believe Daniel wouldn't go after whoever had caused that, with more ferocity then Notch's interest in the death of a mortal. The monarch only cared because he knew a Changeling was involved.

Yet if the killer turned out to be this Tyler fellow? What would Daniel do then?

"I really did have a sister. I didn't make that up just for sympathy."

Hydra jerked her attention back to the man beside her. "Did I look like I doubted you?"

"No…but I wanted to make sure. Notch wasn't convinced, I don't think."

Smiling, Hydra carded her fingers through the other's hair. "Lord Notch doesn't believe most people. He may be the Winter King, but he's as distrustful as any Fall. Tis why I dragged you off to see Lord Grinderban instead."

"He's different around Notch," complained Daniel. "They're pretty intimidating when they're on the same side."

"A bonus when that's your side, too. And while he agreed to listen fairly, you were still considered a possible threat. He did the best he could."

Sighing, Daniel leaned against Hydra's side, eyes staring blankly ahead. Even Rose in her room had stilled, perhaps finding a corner more suited to her liking, and bedded down for the night. Hydra bite back a sigh of her own as her fingers brushed the bandage on Daniel's head - no one needed anymore excitement that night.

"Tomorrow, I want you to go to the hospital. Ye need this checked out by someone with the skill and supplies to make sure yer alright."

At the mention of proper medical attention, the frown started to grow again and the Summer pulled away. Hydra squashed one of her own.

"No, I'm fine. Besides, Notch would probably have an aneurism if we did anything else with humans for a while."

"And if it scars? Of you lose an eye?"

"The other guy'll think twice before starting a fight."

"Daniel-"

"No, I've got this." Anger lanced threw the other Lost's voice, the visible part of Daniel's face scowling at her. "We're not done yet. Notch and his inquisition, Rose and her distress, neither's going to cost us our home."

"I said nothin' about yer home, lad. Ye need a doctor."

"No!" Standing, Daniel stormed forward. "I'm fine, just f-"

The slap echoed in the large hall. Daniel blinked, eye wide. Keeping her gaze steady, Hydra slowly lowered her hand. Daniel didn't need any more abuse today, but there was a line, and he was getting dangerously close to crossing it.

"I ken ye think scars are nice, but not if they get infected or cost ye that eye. Besides, ye don't need them - yer scary enough with a clean face." Gaze dropping to the side, she added quietly. "And they certainly aren't what makes ye the best lookin' lad this side of the pond."

The two stood for a moment, the dreary walls dampening the mood. Finally, a hand hers and squeezed back, just a little.

"Fine. We can go find a doctor."

Nodding, Hydra pulled her friend in for a hug. "It's really not so bad. I'm sure ye'll still be able to brag about what the other guy musta look like."

"I hope so." Daniel winced again, finger tugging at the bandage. "Did you really have to let the old man work on my face?'

"He knew what he was doing better than I."

"Yeah, but I think he was having fun hurting me."

"Don't be a pansy, Daniel. Lord Grinderban was just cleaning the wound."

"Right."

Pulling back, Hydra cuffed him on the shoulder. "But that's for tomorrow morning, when thing's don't seem so bleak. Tonight, we need dinner for ye all and something to brighten up the place. Flowers, mayhap." Looking around, Hydra tried to keep her tone light. "Ye'd think someone had died in here, yer home is so dark."

"It has gotten a little out of hand."

Hydra turned to their observer. "That it has, Jeanette." The Spring moved out into the hall proper. "We're supposed to keep things cheerful, we Spring. This is no place for anyone to spend their time, and certainly not when they're trying to heal."

"I don't what we'd find this time of year, but someone must have flowers." Jeanette looked around the hall. "Maybe some paintings? Those could be pricy though."

"Make some yerselves. Did ye ne'er do paint when ye were young?"

The women looked at each other before grinning.

"Everyone would have to help," Jeanette said, casting a look at Daniel. "Boys too. Even Rose, if we work it right, though we can't keep anything in her room."

"On that note, maybe not make the room white? It's not very comforting, and it is a Winter color."

The two women smiled, pointedly ignoring Daniel's frown at the mention of the Winter King. Taking Daniel's hand once more, Hydra pulled him towards the front door.

"We'll fetch the supplies for dinner on the way back. See if ye can't get Logan in something festive - maybe yellow? Or dress him like a Christmas tree." A satisfying squawk came from around the corner. "He'd look grand covered in tiny lights."

…

Outside, Hydra fished the car keys out of her bag, letting go of Daniel's hand so he could get in the other side. Opening her own door, she stopped. Daniel did the same.

"I'm sorry. For…brining Lord Grinderban in the back. For King Notch being so stubborn. That I couldnae do more for Rose when they were here."

Daniel sighed, but some of the weight seemed lifted. "Notch is an ass. No two ways about that." Hydra grinned. "As for the back door, Notch is also a paranoid bastard, and it's really not that surprising. It's probably a good thing you went with the old man. The Hedge would have eaten him and then King Icy would have really wanted my head."

"Aye, he would."

"As for Rose," Daniel paused, looking down before glancing back at the Hollow. "That's more than some of us got. This dream walker, he's supposed to be good?" Hydra nodded. "Well then." Counting the conversation finished, Daniel dropped himself into the car. Hydra huffed a laugh before sliding into the driver's seat.

"I'm going to prove, to both sides, that ye needn't be so worried about all this. We can all trust each other, at least when things get messy."

Daniel grunted, but his mood stayed light as he started fiddling with the radio, flipping around until he found the Christmas station.

Pulling out of the driveway, Hydra smiled. There was something wrong with her friends, and something equally troubling about the monarchs. But things could only ever be solved one step at a time. Today, she'd deal with her friend's mood, try to cheer them up and get them to see the silver lining. Rose was never going to get better with everyone so depressed and frightened around her.

Tomorrow, she'd start digging. If there really was going to be trust, then any skeletons in the closet needed to be known. Little monsters under the bed could be annoying, but knowing what a person of capable of was one of the basic tenants of trusting them.

Surely no one in this Freehold would sell another. Daniel was getting worked up over nothing.

"Danny, are ye aware ye are completely tone-deaf?"

"I am not!"


	2. Second Scene

It was very quite, inside Rose's room. The padding on the walls sucked up some of it, but there wasn't that much to make noise in the first place. Silent, serene, contained.

It was enough to drive a person crazy.

The walls were still white, to Hydra's annoyance, but she didn't say anything. Rose had, apparently, objected to any attempts to change it. Since it had invoked an actual reaction from Rose, they'd left it be, hoping it would help Rose get better.

And Rose did seem to be getting better. She screamed less, cried less, generally made less noise all together. She didn't attack everything that came through the door, nor did she try to hurt herself. Didn't even attack the invisible monsters these days. Rose spent most of her time sitting quietly, attention caught by something the others couldn't see, and probably wouldn't understand.

Today she was back against the wall, facing the door, rocking ever so slightly. Her eyes moved as though counting ticks on a moving belt. She'd stopped humming ten or so minutes ago.

Hydra sat nearly opposite her, to the left of the door. She watched the other Changeling, thoughts tumbling over and over in her mind.

…

It had been the worst Christmas present she'd ever received. Hydra had spent days wondering around, looking for clues and talking to every imaginable creature in the Hedge, making careful note of which knew Notch and which didn't. As time wore on, her hopes had started to solidify. Daniel had been worried over nothing.

But then she'd found her stall, found her seller, found out that Notch was a lying bastard. _A life for a life_. Hers, for a man she'd just met, on the orders of someone who'd dragged her out of one nightmare, and into one she didn't know and couldn't understand. She hadn't even asked why Charlie was in trouble. She'd trusted, something They had trained out of her.

…

Hydra dragged her fingers along the floor padding, gaze dropping to follow. It had been nearly two weeks since she'd found out about Notch. Two weeks of avoiding the Winter King - not that hard. Two weeks of thinking too hard and too much. Two weeks of looking Daniel in the eyes and acting like nothing was wrong. She wasn't going to last another two weeks like this, much less the rest of her time in Delaware.

A thought stole across her mind, making her grin at its wickedness. "I could scream myself hoarse in here and no one would come," she whispered. "I could do whatever, let it all out, and they'd think it was you." Red eyes flashed up, just missing blue. "And ye wouldn't even speak up to tell them it was me. Ye'd let them believe whatever I say."

Rose didn't respond, invisible ticks still flying by, still needing to be counted. Far more important than another person's pain.

Folding her hands in her lap, Hydra sighed. "But I wouldna do tha. It's wrong, and I can still remember what that means." Silence. "But maybe it's a good thing I never swore fealty to this place, these people. They're no who they say they are, none of them. I'd have to do what they said, even if it was wrong."

Silence crept back in. Neither Lost moved, both worrying through their tasks, trying to make sense of the world around them that was supposed to be so much better than the one they'd left.

Hydra tilted her head back against the wall. _Did ye know Halley? Did ye send him to Notch because ye knew Charlie'd never come back? Did ye even care?_

Hydra twitched as Rose squeaked and rolled over, resting her legs up the wall and tracing patterns in the air.

"Ye think so? Halley seemed nice, but no one is really that good, I suppose. No one here who stays."

Rose ignored her. Another minute ticked past.

"I got a place, finally. Monty wasn't going to last long in the Hedge, Hollow or no, and I wasna given him up. He's the only normal thing I have, and he loves me. In his own, fluffy, dog way."

Rose looked over at this, eyes clear for a moment. Then she blinked and was gone again. Hydra laughed.

"That ye understand, out of everything I've said?" Hydra shifted, pulling a knee up to her chest and wrapping her arms around it. "And there's Cat to worry about. I dunno what's wrong with her, but I haven't been able to help yet. Haven't even focused on it that much, honestly. I can't go through normal channels to get the help, either. King Notch would just take her and use her. She looks like a child, whatever she be, and I'll not let him hurt someone so small. Not after refusing her before."

Returning her head to the wall, Hydra sighed. "I've turned my life into one of those stories. Ye know the kind - ye're never sure if it's brilliant or pathetic, but everyone knows one version of another.

"There's deceit and treachery, maybe, and people who can't tell what's real and what they imagined. The King's a creep, the Witch hasn't picked a side, and the Hero keeps bumbling his way through until he wins, though no one's sure if it's by his own design.

"Well, King Notch is a creep, and apparently he cannae be trusted, neither." Her voice softened. "But Daniel doesnae want to move ye. He's happy here, with his life, and who am I to take that away? Who is anyone?"

Her eyes flicked back up to Rose's, meeting once more. The clarity was back, steadier this time.

"Ye love him too?"

A blink.

"We cannae save Tyler, if he's the one who did this. You don't deserve to pay for witnessing it, and that man deserves to have his killer caught. King Notch wont let this go." A beat. "I know he's Daniel's friend, but Daniel will heal. He's a strong lad; more than just in muscles. If Tyler did this, I'll tell the King I will."

Another blink.

"And I think… I'd rather Jeanette was Queen. The others will have more trouble attacking what the Wyrd chose, and it'll leave me out of the loop a little while longer." Hydra shifted her gaze to her knee. "I was meant to serve. Maybe not back home, back before, but that's what They made me. A Servant, in nearly every sense. I cannae serve bound to a group, to one I dunna wish to be obedient to. But I could serve Jeanette. I could look after this family.

"That's my freedom, ye ken. I'll never be any good in charge, but I can choose whom to be loyal to, who to work for. A dog I'll be, but I choose my Master." Red met ice blue once more. "I'll serve those I trust. I'll look after Daniel, till this is over, and yer family until I fall. But I canna swear to the monarchs. Not yet."

Another, slower blink, bleeding into what could have been a nod, if it needed to be. And it needed to be.

"I should go. The others'll worry, if I stay too long. And this room is making my head spin."

Hydra stood and walked the scant steps to the door. Facing the dark wood, she paused. "You'll keep my secret, won't you? That I'll be up to nae good for a while? I need my loved ones in good order, before I can be of use to strangers. I'll make sure none of it can be traced back to ye."

Rose didn't reply. The moment had passed, and the other couldn't hear her anymore. She waited a beat longer, the next part harder to get out.

"Ye should be nicer to him. He cares about ye very much, and I dunna think I'll be around for as long as ye. They don't write stories about my kind, and yer man is very much a Hero. The sort I only get to love from the shadows. Never touch…never have."

Cracking the door, Hydra could hear the other Fairest down the hall. They were in the kitchen, from the sounds of it, probably working on dinner.

"Dinner should be along shortly. I hope it tastes better than last night's - a charmer he may be, but Logan can't cook."

Rose stared at her, non plussed."

"Up side to being crazy, hm? Dunna care what yer food tastes like?"

Hydra slipped outside and closed the door. Paintings reminiscent of an primary school covered the walls. She hadn't realized how much fun it would be, finger painting after so many years.

Yellow was a prominent color among the images, red was the most sparing. Trees, houses, hills, dogs, cheese. Whatever they'd been thinking of, once they got past the initial awkwardness of it all.

Her smile faltered as she thought of how this wouldn't include her next time. King Notch needed to be brought under control, and she had to find Charlie. He didn't deserve whatever was happening to him, and it was her fault. Survivors guilt could be dangerous - more so when mixed with other things.

"Hydra, would you _please_ come back me up! The boys are going to blow up the kitchen, I swe_ar_!" Jeanette's complaint was cut off as Logan picked her up and spun her out of the door.

"We're not blowing anything up. We're…_experimenting_."

Making sure Rose's door was closed, Hydra pasted on a smile and hurried down the hallway. She knew her place now, and she'd be better at it. Servants knew everything, after all, and their masters remained happily oblivious.

"_Rule number one." The whip snapped down. "You do your job, and Master is never any wiser, you hear? I don't care what it takes, how it ends, or if _you bleed_. Your Master" snap "never" snap "hears. Got it!"_


	3. Fourth Scene

"There, all better."

"Thanks." Jeanette stepped back and exhaled quickly. "Everything else still in place."

"Loveliest I've seen ye yet."

The dancer smiled and spun in a small circle. The dress, a flowy number the shaded through the spectrum of greens and blues, swished around her legs. "I'm nervous. Can you believe that? I haven't been nervous around Logan in years!"

"Aye, but years ago ye werena this person, and ye hadn't been through so much. Ye might as well be starting over in some capacity." Hydra patted Jeanette's shoulder and smiled comfortingly. "See if maybe, it doesn't stick. Perhaps yer done playing tag, and tha's why yer nervous."

Jeanette bit her lip and clutched her purse tighter. "I guess."

The tromping of feet from the main stair pulled the women's attention outside the kitchen. "I can con officers out of tickets, information out of targets, and candy from babies, and I'm losing it now?" "Stop worrying, Logan. Jeanette's already seen you make an ass of yourself." "You're not helping Daniel."

"See?" whispered Hydra, leaning down conspiratorially from her perch on the kitchen counter. "He's got it as bad as ye do. Just relax. Be…cool, and it'll go splendid."

Jeanette grinned back and shook herself, just once, as though trying to shed excess energy. "Alright. Wish me luck!" Bounding over to the door, she paused and shot a glance back over her shoulder. "Oh, and don't you two get up to anything, kay? Daniel's got work tomorrow."

Hydra gaped after the other women, trying to fight down a blush that wouldn't quite go. The sound of laughter and more talking echoed down the smaller hall to the kitchen, before the front door opened and thudded closed. Footsteps, only one pair this time, made their way back away from the main entrance.

She took a breath as Daniel made his way into the kitchen, hoping the blush was gone by now. She smiled at him, smaller than the one she'd used on Jeanette to bolster confidence. The Summer grinned back, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Hey beautiful."

"Lad…" Daniel laughed as the blush crept back up Hydra's cheeks. The last week had been different, for all of them. A story from her childhood stole through her mind, long forgotten and ignored. Something about light and love fixing anything, even the impossible. She opened her mouth to repeat it, but stopped as another pair of lips caught her own.

Closing her eyes, Hydra wrapped her arms around Daniel's shoulders, pulling him closer. Another story flit through, this one simpler, but just as happy. Running her fingers threw short cropped hair, Hydra pulled back, enjoying the soft smile on Daniel's face. She pulled a hand forward to trace subtle cheeks bones, feeling her own smile fade as she did so.

Daniel hadn't changed much in his time in Arcadia. He still looked human, Mask or no. Watching her ice blue skin trace his pinker tones, she could feel doubt creeping back in. Daniel, eyes closed, hummed and leaned into her hand, oblivious to her turmoil. Drudging up a smile, she thumped his shoulder and slid past him off the counter. "We should go check on Rose."

Trying not to walk to fast, Hydra moved through the kitchen and into the hall outside. She could imagine Daniel's face, confused, maybe a little hurt. It was incredibly girly, pulling a stunt like that, but what was she supposed to say? Sorry you fell for a freak?

Lost in thought, she hadn't heard him catch up, the hand on her arm catching her by surprise. The Spring stopped, turning to look behind her.

"Hydra? What's wrong?"

Hydra opened her mouth to speak, looking down to buy time. Eyes traced the distinct line between skin colors. The longer she thought about it, the worse she felt. Daniel could be human if he wanted. He looked the part, and all his abilities were just enhanced version of what humans could actually do, from what she'd seen anyways. But she wasn't human anymore, and was teetering towards being less so each day.

"I'm sorry."

She was almost as surprised as Daniel. "Sorry for what?"

"For…heh, I guess for being me." Looking up, Hydra found his eyes with her own. "Yer so…normal, Daniel. You could be anyone, do anything. But I showed up, and I talk funny, I cannae remember things, I don't even know my own name." Courage failing, she looked back down at her other hand, just as blue and a looking exceptionally translucent all of the sudden. "Look at me," she whispered.

"I am." Daniel tugged her closer, spinning her to face a mirror hanging in the small hallway. "Look."

Hydra did. In the mirror was her reflection, but not the real one anymore. This girl was too young, with light brown hair and piercing green eyes. This was her from so many years back. Human her. Normal her.

"I don't know this girl." Hydra blinked, finding Daniel's eyes in the reflection. He looked almost the same as if she'd turned around, but his face was set in a determined line now. The confusion from earlier had vanished entirely. Daniel's hands traced up to hold her shoulders. "I've never met this person, Hydra, and I never will."

Turning her around, Daniel dropped his gaze to her face. "I've never known any other version of you, Hydra. As far as I'm concerned, this is what you look like. Blue skin, red eyes, black hair, pointed ears. You may not have changed on the inside, but this outside, this is what I know. This you is who I love. Not the child from Scotland. I love the woman that fell through the Delaware Hedge." The frown had softened, gaze unshuttered and honest. "Don't think yourself a monster, Hydra, because I never will."

Hydra stared, trying desperately to blink back the beginnings of tears. Tilting forward, she buried her head in Daniel's chest, muffling quiet sobs against his shirt. Strong arms wrapped around her, holding her close as the man holding her whispered reassuring phrases into her hair.

The minutes dragged by, but finally the tears slowed and she trusted herself to step back. Wiping furiously at her cheeks, Hydra laughed. "I dinna think this is what Jeanette was worried about when she said to behave."

Daniel snagged a tissue from a nearby box and held it out, brushing her hair back with his other hand. "Maybe, but it was important. You can't go thinking of yourself as less just because you look exceptionally different from some of us. I mean, look at the others. Grinderban is a tree, and what's her name, Kite? She a bird for Pete's sake! And King Notch," Daniel made a face and Hydra laughed, "he looks like a robot. A walking, talking, cranky old robot. Around here, we're the freaks."

"You're gorgeous Daniel."

"See?"

Hydra punched him in the arm, trying to look put out and failing as he laughed. "I get it, lad. I was being thick. It'll take some getting used to, but I should come around."

"I'll remind you all you need. I'm not going anywhere."

Tucking the tissue into her pocket, Hydra looked down the hall. "We really should check on Rose. I know dinner was only an hour ago, but I think she looks forward to your visits. Proof yer all still alive and well."

Hydra slid her hand into Daniel's, looking away, but this time from sudden shyness instead of disgust. She led the way down the hall to Rose's room, cracking the door so they could look inside.

Rose sat a corner today, feet pulled up close to her and pressed together. She was flapping her knees gently up and down, head cocked to one side.

"Rose?" Daniel called. The Winter didn't react.

"Not as active as I'd like, but at least she's not in obvious discomfort. No monsters or other demons to scream at or try to run from." Hydra shot a smile at the other woman for good measure before closing the door. "We can stick our noses in in another hour or so, I suppose. Logan and Jeanette will hopefully be out late enjoying themsel_ves!_"

Hydra squeaked as she was swept off her feet, grabbing Daniel as he settled her in his arms.

"What are ye doing?"

"Well, I'm all for continuing what we started in the kitchen. I was having fun before you got all thoughtful and over-concerned."

Hydra slapped his shoulder, but without much heart. "And ye need ta pick me up to do tha?"

"No, but I don't really intend to stand in front of my ex's room and make-out like a couple of teenagers."

"No," Hydra agreed, "we should find a couch. Be civilized adults about this."

"Right, but we hardly need wait until we get there to continue."

Exhaling a laugh, Hydra leaned up, Daniel meeting her halfway.


End file.
